Corn-sheller



(No Moael.) 2 Shee'os-Sheet;v 1.

8v' O. R. ADAMS.

CORN SHELLER.

No. 313,042. Ptented'Mamu 1885i (No Mdel.) 2 Sheets-s heefflv 2.

J. Q. & o. R. ADAMS.

CORN SHBLLER.

No. 318,042. l A Patented Mar. 3, 1885.

N. PETERS, Plmmmnmgmphun wshingm. up.

STATES JOHN Q. ADAMS AND OLIVER R. ADAMS, OF MARSEIIJIJES, ILLINOIS.

CORN-SHELLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,042, dated March 3, 1885.

Application filed October 20, 1854. (Xo model.)

.T0 @ZZ 1072.077?, it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN Q. ADAMs and OLIVER R. ADliMs, citizens of the United States, and residing at Marseilles, in the county of La Salle and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn- Shellers, which are fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, iii-which- Figure l represents a side elevation of a cornsheller embodying our improvements, taken on the delivery side of the machine; Fig. 2a similar elevation of the machine, taken on the opposite side thereof 5 Fig. 3, a vertical longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 4, a transverse section taken on the broken line for, Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a' detail plan section of the same, taken on the broken line y y, Fig. 3; Fig. 6, an end elevation of the guard-piece which lies over the bevel-runners, taken on an enlarged scale; Fig. 7, a side elevationof the same on the same enlarged scale; Fig. 8, a detail plan-section taken on the line z le', Fig. 3, and on the same enlarged scale; Fig. 9, a detail section taken on the line w w, Fig. S, on the same enlarged scale; and Fig. 10, a plan view showing the adjustable bearing for the Lipper end ofthe elevator.

Our invention relates to that class of cornshelling machines in which the ears of corn are fed to the shelling devices endwise, and is an improvement on Letters Patent heretofore granted to us, No. 210,074, dated November' 19, 1878. In our present improvement we have changed the feeding mechanism relative thereto so that the feed is directly into the shelling devices, and the direction of the feed is up theincline of the elevator and then down a sharp incline into the shelling mechanism. In carrying out this main improvement we have made some special devices for certain parts of the machine.

Ve will proceed to describe in detail one way in which we' have carried out our invention in practical form, and will then point out definitely in the claims the special improvements which we believe to be new and wish to -protect by Letters Patent.

In the drawings we have shown a machine which in most of its general features is substantially the same as that illustrated in our previous patent, mentioned above; hence it will not be necessary to give here a particular and minute description of all the parts of this machine.

In the drawings, A represents the main or supporting frame of the machine, and I3 the feed-elevator, which is inclined as usual, and is attached to the main frame in any suitable way.

rIhe feed mechanism is composed of chains and picker-wheels, both driven positively. The picker-wheel shaft C is mounted in the main frame near the upper front corner thereof, and fixed upon it are picker-wheels c c', which are of ordinary construction, exceptthat they are somewhat larger than usual, and the wheel c is of greater diameter than the others, and is arranged between them, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, this figure showing the arrangement for two feed-holes of the machine. Vith an increase in the number of holes it will be understood, of course, that this arrangement is preserved by placing another of the larger picker-wheels, c, outside of one or both ol'l the smaller wheels, and then iiXing another of the smaller ones outside of the larger. Sprocketwheels D are also fixed on the piekerwheel shaft, one being arranged between each two picker-wheels, and over these sprocketwheels the elevatorchains d run, the links being engaged by the projections on the wheels, so as to cause a positive motion. rlhese elevator-chains are provided at suitable intervalspwith upright projections d, and run over plain sheaves c2 at the lower end of the eleva tor. The bevel-runners E are mounted on a shaft, e,whicl1 is arranged a little back of and considerably below the pickerwheel shaft. One bevebrunner is provided for each hole of the machine, and the larger picker-wheel eX- tends down somewhat between the two, as shown in Fig. 4 ofthe drawings. r[the smaller pickenwheels also extend down somewhat by the other sides or faces of the bevelvrunners,` the bevels of which areinclined inward toward the larger picker-wheel. The straight runners F are mounted on a shaft, j", which is about on a line horizontally with the shaft of the bevel-rnnners, and the former are arranged so that there will be one straight runner between each pair of bevel-runners, inthe usual ICO way. This will bring the bevel-runners and the larger picker-wheel in about the same vertical plane. The rag-irons G are mounted on a nose-piece, H, in the usual way. These ragirons are of usual construction; but the piece to which they are attached is so arranged that they have an almost vertical position to accommodate the new relation of the feed devices and the straight and bevel runners. The nosepiece I :I is made as usual, except that it is a continuous piece from side to side of the machine, and is provided with recesses h 7L for the picker wheels c c', respectively, so that 'these latter wheels are completely covered-and protected in the rear by the nose-piece. Obviously, there must be some space between the sprocket-wheels on the picker-wheel shaft and the bevel-runners to permit the clearance of the feed-chain with its carrying projections. To prevent the escape of corn through this space or entrance into it,.we provide a guard-piece, I, vcurved in form and having a deep recess, z', at one end adapted to receive the larger pickerwheel, and the branches or arms t" on each side of this recess are formed and adapted to fit over the respective bev el-runners on each side of this picker-wheel, being extended backward even with or a little beyond the peripheries of the sprocket-wheels, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The front or lower end of the guard has flanges by which it is fastenedl to the supporting-frame of the machine, and the upper surface of each arm is grooved or troughshaped, with a slot, if, cut lengthwise in each one. These slots are to accommodate the outer or higher edges of the bevel-runners. In the face of the upper end notches 133 are cut, which accommodate the projections on the links of the sprocket-chain, these projections being fastened to opposite side bars of the said links. Below the rag-irons, and just within the peripheries ofthe straight runners, are guards or shoes J, which ll the space between the bevel-runners and the cob-carrier K, and direct the material delivered from the shelling devices to the latter device. This cob-carrier K is a chain composed of links k, ofa well-known construction, and need not be described. At its upper end it passes over sprocket-wheels L of a shaft, Z, at the rear end of the machine, by which it is driven positively. 'Ordinarily the lower end of this chain passes directly around a shaft, M, or around sheaves on said shaft. This shaft is usually the main shaft of the machine-that is, the one to which motion is communicated from the horse-power or other motor. In its ordinary exposed position the silk and other material is liable to collect on this shaft and in time clog the delivery. To avoid this we extend the boxes N ofthe shaft across the machine from side to side, so as to provide a tubular bearing or sleeve, n, surrounding the shaft between the boxes. This tubular portion may be either cast in one piece with the boxes or parts thereof, or it may be made aseparatepiece and attached-to them in any suitable way. Next to each box a shallow, narrow groove, a', islmade aroundgthe tubular portion, and just inside each groove is raised a thin collar, a2, this construction being adapted to the cob-carrier, the straight bars of the links of which ride on the collars,while the bent ends which form the hooks easily pass around in the grooves, and so the carrier-chain is easily slipped around this tubular piece, which fully protects the shaft. It will be understood, of course, that the machine is provided with suitable gearing and other driving mechanism to give the required movements to the several parts and in the required direction. The general construction and arrangement of these de- Vices is, however, so well known that they need not be described here, although we have shown them in full inthe drawings, so as to illustrate a complete operative machine. One or two features only require notice.

On the main shaft Mis a sprocket-wheel, m, over which a chain, O, runs to a similar wheel, O, on the picker-wheel shaft, and thereby positive motion is communicated to the latter. In order to keep this main driving-chain taut, we provide a tightener, I), which in this instance consists of a small shoe, p, attached to a slotted arm, p', which is fastened to its support by means of a screw, p2, that passes th rou gh the slot, and the latter permits adjustment back and forth to tighten or slackcn the chain, being screwed in any position desired by means ofthe fastening-screw, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. At the other end of the main shaft is a sprocket-wheel, m', over which a chain, Q, runs to a sprocket-wheel, Z', on the driving-shaft of the cob-carrier, thereby communicating positive motion to the latter. A chain-tghtener, y, similar to the onejust described is also attached to the frame and arranged to adjust the tautness of this drivingchain Q.

In the improved feeding mechanism which we have described above and shown in the drawings, we dispense entirely with the usual dividing-ridges in the elevator, which have heretofore been arranged so as to divide off the elevator into spaces corresponding to the feed-holes in the machine, these ridges usually rising gradually toward the upper end of the elevator, so as to turn the corn into the respective spaces. With our improvements the elevator is made with a plain bottom across its entire width from the lower to the IOO IIO

upper end, there being no projections except those on the feed-chains. XVe also dispense entirely with fixed partitions in the machine beyond the elevator, which are otenerally arranged between the respective noles ofthe machine. These fixed or stationary partitions always operate to impede the feed more or less, and so tend to produce clogging. It will be noticed that the picker-wheels constitute the only divisions for the respective feedholes of the machine, andhencethere are onlyl moving surfaces at the divisions, which, it is obvious, will tend to prevent clogging instead of aggravating it. The picker-wheel shaft is mounted on the elevator, so that it may be removed with the latter, and the elevator itself is held at the upper endto the main frame by a fastening, a, which is slotted, so as to be adjustable on the main fralne, and in this instance takes the bearings b of the pickerwheel shaft. 'I his feature of adjustability permits the accurate adjustment of the pickerwheels wit-h reference to the other parts of the machine.

In the operation of our machine the corn is thrown into the elevator, as usual, and is carried upward and forward positively by the ac tion of the projections 011 the feed-chains, which are driven positively, as already described. As these chains run around sprocket-wheels on the picker-wheel shaft, the ears of corn are brought directly in between the picker-wheels, and are fed into the machine by the combined forcing action of the feedchains and picker-wheels. As soon as the corn reaches the upper end of the elevatorchains, it is turned directly downward at a steep incline, and passes at once to the shelling mechanism described above, so that the path of the corn is first up an incline to the end of the elevator-chains and then down a very sharp incline, the path, in fact, being quite nearly vertical. The positively-acting feed-chains and pickerwheels drive the corn forward and downward to the shelling devices, which operate in the usual manner, and the material discharged therefrom is delivered to the cob-carrier, which also acts asaseparator, or to any other separating and discharge device. The grain is separated and delivered in any usual way. The guards between the picker-wheel shaft and bevel-runners prevent the loss of grain through this space, and the guards below the bevel-runners effect the same result at the 4opening therefrom.

It is obvious that this construction and arrangement of the devices present a very simple combination of parts, in which a great many of the parts contained in the feeding and shelling mechanisms of our former patent, already referred to, are dispensed with, and at the same time the action in every direction is positive and certain, and by practical test we have found it to be exceedingly eflicient and satisfactory. XVe do not wish, however, to be understood as limiting the application of our improvements to the precise devices and arrangement in all respects as herein described and shown, for details of construction may be changed considerably, especially in applying these improvements to machines of dilferent types, and yet the main features of our invention retained and made fully available .to secure the results which we have sought and have wrought out in one particular Way, as we have herein set forth.

Having thus described our invention, what `we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a corn-Sheller provided with an open throat, the picker wheels, in combination with an inclined elevator running directly to the picker-wheels, bevel-runners arranged bei low the picker-wheels, and straight runners, also arranged below the pieker-wheels,whcre by the corn is delivered directly to the pickerwheels, and thence into a descending open throat divided into feed-holes by moving surfaces, substant-iallyas and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a corn-Sheller, the picker-wheel shaft, in combination with positive gearing for communicating motion thereto, the sprocketwheels fastened on the pickerwheel shaft between the pickerwheels, and elevator-chains running over said sprocketwheels, and provided with upright projections at intervals, whereby a positive motion is given to the picker-wheel shaft, and a similarmotion from said shaft to the elevator-chains,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a corn sheller, the picker wheels mounted at suitable intervals on ashaft, in combination with sprocket-wheels secured to the shaft between the picker-wheels, the elevator-chains running over 'the sprocket-wheels, the bevel and straight runners on shafts somewhat below the picker-wheel shaft, and the ragirons, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a corn-sheller, the picker-wheels c c', of different sizes and arranged alternately on their shaft,in combination with the bevel-runners arranged almost directly below the pickH er-wheels, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5'. rlhe pickenwheels c c', of different sizes, in combination with the bevelrunners arranged almost directly below the pickerwheels, and a guard arranged in the space between the bevel-runners and the pickenwheel shaft, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.V

6. The picker-wheels, in combination with the bevel-runners, the guard I, curved and notched,substantially as described,the sprocket-wheels D on the picker-wheel shaft, and the elevator-chains d, provided with upright projections d,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. The smaller pickerwheels, c, and larger picker wheels, c', in combination with the nose-piece H, in a continuous piece from side IOO -IZO

to side of the machine, and provided with recesses It h', adapted to receive and cover the said picker-wheels at the rear portions thereof, substantially as described.

8. The box-sleeve a, provided with annular grooves a', and collars a2, in combination with the cob chain K, constructed as described, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. The sprocket-wheel on the main shaft,

picker-wheels and elevator-chains, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

JOHN Q. ADAMS. OLIVER R. ADAMS.

in combination with a sprocket-Wheel 011 the picker-Wheel shaft, the drvechain O, running over these sprocket-wheels, the chantightener P, sprocket-Wheels arranged be- 5 tween the picker-Wheels, and elevator-chains Vitnesses:

:running over said sprocket-Wheels, whereby E. T. SPENCER,

a positive and certa-in motion is given to the NEWTON WARD. 

